This is a blog about traveling on a budget but still experiencing the cities and towns we visit.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Roadtrip from Sydney to Canberra

We
headed out of Sydney and drove down through the Royal National Park.
We were hoping to get close to the coast on this route, though that
turned out not to be the case. The drive through the park was green
and lush, but no sea view was had. I think if we were to do this
again, I would take the M1 to the town or Waterfall or Helensburg and
then cut over to the coastal road from there. Once we made it to the
coastal road, we drove through quaint little towns right on the
water. Most had beaches and parking tended to be free.

Enjoying the tidal pool

We
eventually made it as far as Wollongong before we looked for a place
to stay. Along the way, we searched Airbnb.com and were lucky enough
to find Jack's place right near the beach.
At
$161 USD per
night for
four people, the apartment was a
great deal.
Street parking was free and we were right across the road from not
only the water, but also from a public pool and a man made tidal
pool.For
dinner, we
ate at The [M]eatery.
We decide that if we couldn't be home for American Thanksgiving, we
would gorge ourselves on multiple meats instead of the traditional
turkey. We had been told that is was a
pricey restaurant,
but I thought it was reasonable for what we received and how full we
were when we left. At about $40 AUD per person, we ordered a
shareable platter of meats, a few appetizers, desserts, and drinks.

While
we weren't in town long, but we did enjoy some time at the Crown
Street Mall. In the afternoon, we stopped in a little bar and
restaurant called His Boy Elroy for happy hour. It's a small joint
with great drink options and a diverse menu. We returned to the mall
the next morning (a Friday) for a craft fair which was set up right
between the two main buildings of the mall. I thought combining a
traditional shopping mall with booths for handmade crafts and produce
was a wonderful idea.

Also
while in Wollongong, we visited the Nan Tien Buddhist Temple. This is
not just a single building, but an entire complex of breathtakingly
beautiful structures. As I was not dressed appropriately (I was
wearing shorts), I did not go into the prayer halls or other
buildings. Instead, I peered in from the doorways and wandered the
grounds which are beautiful and serene. The
visit was free and was a calming change from the hustle and bustle of
Wollongong.

Nan Tien Buddhist Temple in Wollongong

Continuing
south along the coastal road, we finally made it to our first real
destination of this roadtrip-Murramarang NationalPark. This
park is off the main road and is not so much a national park as it is
a publicly owned coastal area. When driving in, keep an eye out for
kangaroos bouncing about. This is one of a few places where you can
see kangaroos grazing on or near the coast, sometimes even hanging
out on the rocks near the water. Keep in mind that kangaroos are
nocturnal so going early in the morning or in the early evening is
best. We arrived around 4 p.m. and were able to watch them hangout in
a large grassy area behind some homes. We got as close as they would
allow (about 50 feet) though we kept in mind that they are wild
animals. According to Wikipedia, they don't tend to be aggressive,
but we didn't want to take a chance.